Deathgate Cycle

The Deathgate Cycle was our most ambitious project … and one of the best received.

“An assassin and the royal child he has been hired to kill form an unlikely and unstable alliance as the plots of human sorcerers, elven pirates, and dwarf revolutionaries threaten to overwhelm the airborne kingdoms of Arianus. Long-time collaborators Weis and Hickman (“The Darksword” trilogy; “The Rose of the Prophet” trilogy) have embarked on their most ambitious project to date in this first of a projected seven-volume cycle. The authors’ combined talents for innovative world-building and sympathetic characterizations find ample outlet in this epic fantasy.” —Library Journal.

36 thoughts on “Deathgate Cycle”

I’m re-reading the Deathgate Cycle, after almost 20 years(!), and will be finishing Dragon Wing this evening. I can’t help but think, as I’m reading, that I wish you two would go back and write some more novels in this world. In particular, I would be thrilled to read a novel or two of Haplo’s life in the Labyrinth (possibly starting with the battle that killed his parents). I’d love to know just who or what Dog is. Zifnab stories? Yes, please. I’d even like to read a story or two about how things get on after the The Seventh Gate.

I purchased and read all these books in 1998 or so, and I have to say I really enjoyed them, the strong positive themes carry the work quite well. My old copies are pretty battered. I just recently looked up the books and found they were available for the Kindle, so I’m seriously thinking about getting them in ebook format.

I’ve been a fan of the death gate cycle for … well, I think at least nearly 20 years now. I’ve lived in Australia and the UK, and I am more than slightly irritated I haven’t been able to purchase your books in Kindle format in either place.

Any chance of asking your publisher nicely to allow ebook distribution to either of the regions? I really, really, really REALLY want to buy your books, but I don’t have any legal options to do so, it seems.

Is it just Earth itself that got split up into four realms, or was it the entire solar system. The suns in the four worlds had to come from somewhere. Are the sun and the other planets still out there? Maybe a silly question, but I’m deeply intrigued by your worlds.

What does Arianus look like from the outside? Would we just see a giant storm with some floating islands on top of it and a very small sun on top of that? Or is it more of a solid planet like Pryan with all the islands inside of it?

The Nexus/Labyrinth, is that a spherical planet? Because I always imagined it as a disc with the Nexus at the heart of it.

I have been on a Weis/Hickman binge for that past several months…which started per chance with a library copy of the “Dragons of the Dwarven Depth” audiobook. Believe it or not, but I had never heard of Dragonlance or Weis & Hickman before that, but it did not take long for me to become a HUGE fan. I have since ripped through almost all of the Dragonlance books; the Darksword Trilogy; and now The Death Gate Cycle. All so incredibly good! The most loveable characters ev-ah!

I just have to tell you how much I love the Death Gate Cycle. I read these books first time when I was about 9 years old; they had a big impact on me that I cherish today.
I recently started reading the series again and still I get the same feelings like 12 years ago. I get excited and can’t stop reading. I wish that I could tell you better how I feel about these wonderful books, but my english skills are pretty rusty at this moment.
Death Gate Cycle taught me to use my imagination to create my own stories and characters. It taught me to see life in different perspectives. It introduced many great characters to me (I’m still a Haplo-fangirl : D)
I just want to say thank you.
I’m one happy girl reading the Serpent Mage again at this moment.

I discovered Tracy and Margaret with an old copy of Fire Sea that I bought at a book fair, when I was 16…LOVED IT! and had to go back to get #1 and #2, and then moved forward…if you can get your hands on the Rose of the Prophet Trilogy, that is also very very good!

Loved the books really. Just finished your seventh today. Read your first 2 years ago, and I was impressed. Having picked up the first with it at Book & Music Exchange (bless the place for this). It took me a while to get through the first, barely noticing what happened but taking it in. The second was great. Personally, I enjoyed every laugh filled moment. Just this year I finally got back to the series. I am glad to know what happened, but terribly sad it ended. I wish there could have been more. And I hate being stuck with the feeling that no one will ever know Zifnab is God (or at least one of them if my theories are correct about Zifnab and his relations to Fizban, James Bond, and many other names–I really found his name scenario hilarious), exept for us readers. I must know what happens next though? Do they escape? Is there happily ever after? How does the Dog go down in history?

Beyond that, I’ve heard rumor of, but not confirmation, that Dragon Wing is being produced as a movie. Is this true? If so, do you worry that they will alter the series in such a fashion as to do it injustice and ruin our fond memories of it? Do you have any idea as to what you would like the characters to be? There are so many questions, and Death Gate takes up so much room in my heart.

Either way, movie or no, extra conclusion or not, thank you. Thank you with presenting me with a series that I could say I loved it. It is one of the few books that could truly move me, make me feel for the characters (believe it or not, I actually had bitter hatred for Bane from the beginning).

I’m hoping that last comment of yours was a loaded one. If you write anything else that ties into the Death Gate Cycle, I’ll buy it the minute it becomes available…and I’m sure everyone else who’s ever read any of your books would do so as well.

When I finished reading The Seventh Gate, I was left with the impression that you purposely glossed over the final events. Maybe it was just wishful thinking, but it was the only reason that I could imagine that explained why you didn’t flesh out the conclusion of a series that, to that point, had been incredibly vivid and detailed. Wishful thinking or not, I’m still holding out for more incredible stories from the four worlds!

Oh, and I can’t for the life of me imagine why movie studios would jump all over Harry Potter books, yet seemingly pay no mind to the incredibly worlds and characters that you’ve created over the years. I, for one, think that Viggo Mortensen would make a great Hugh the Hand!

halo tracy. i just want to say that this books are a wonderful work they with me for 15 years and i just finished reading them for the third time. i wish you will joina forces with margaret and write a continue. and its grate to see that somany people love this book.

Many thank yous to Weis and Hickman for creating the worlds of the Death Gate Cycle! I’m just now listening to the ebooks years after I read them. Excellent background entertainment while punching numbers at work. =)

I’m also interested to know if any movies would be created for these novels. These are my favorite. I started with Fire Sea when it first came out in paperback (saw it at the grocery store and loved the dragon rising from the lava so much I bought it). Never would I had guessed how powerful the story was before I started reading. I had to get the first two volumes to catch up on what was happening. I have been a fan since then.

Would love to know if there is a future for these characters beyond the seven novels.

well lets see this is the first time I’ve done this but I have a story for you sir. I was totally involved with the dragonlance series and enjoying it very much and had just finishing your third book in the series. My wife and I happen to be at the good will I get a lot of reading with my wife while she is shopping and had your book there with me I just so happened to finish it while sitting in the chair that was right next to the book rack well I put yours down so somebody else might come by and pick it up and get hooked I have been reading that series for a few weeks and was new to your books, well since she had just started shopping and I was stuck now so I picked up a book of the shelf next to me to pass the time while i was there it was called dragon wing it was worn and used but I got hooked in the first chapter and bought it I didn’t realize it was your book till I went to the book store in town and seen the other books I’ve already been reading funny I thought but I guess I just liked your books and the way you wrote them. Thanks for the time and effort you put into them cause it keeps me reading them.

umm i hope i do not offend with this question? but i read these sometime ago and i cant really remember but i think in the seventh book there was a point where haplo lifted his shirt and alfred blushed looking away. i was wondering is alfred gay? or rather does he feel for haplo? in no way would this effect my opinion negatively on the contrary it would make it better for me. but i was just wondering and would like to know if it is so or if it was just a little quirk?

Having read most of the Dragonlance novels, I was intrigued to try and read the first parts of the Deathgate Cycle. I didn’t understand much, though – events happened very quickly and I quit reading them. Well, that was back when I was 12, the books were in english and my native language is danish.

Half a year ago (age 30), I bought the first volumes at the Kindle Store, because I remembered something about a maze and a dancing guy with glowing tattoos…

Wow! I’m very happy I returned – now far better at understanding english, the experience was a totally new one. Actually, I couldn’t recognize the books – except for the theme which I vaguely remembered.

I read the entire Deathgate Cycle in approximately two weeks, to give myself more time to enjoy reading them, and really take it all in.

The controverse thing for me is; I would like to read more about the world and characters. On the other hand – you end the 7th volume as complete as can be, very well rounded story and the character development is also complete in my humble opinion…

Big praises for this work – which to me, is just as dear as the fabled and much beloved DL Chronicles and Legends 🙂

I must also agree, this series is definitely my favorite to date. I read Deathgate probably 10 years ago during my K-12 school days and it has stuck with me. I would like to note, however that the PC game was incredibly disappointing. When my team of elite gamelords finally forms I’ll certainly be thinking about the ramifications of a modern day interpretation…

Dragon Wing was given to me as a Christmas present in 1990 when I was 17. It was the first fantasy novel I had ever read. Haplo with his intriging dark demeanor, the bumbling and endearing Alfred (I just knew there was something about him) drew me in to their world and are dear old friends to me now. I’ve gone on to read hundreds of fantasy novels and found enduring characters I’m always eager to read more of, but none so much as these two.

Spoiler Alert!! Tracy, it’s been over 15 years since since you locked them in the Nexus. Truly, the Death Gate Cycle books are my favorite series of all time. I don’t want to grow old and die never knowing what happened. I’m begging you, Finish it.

My brother bought the first book long time ago before I started this series. I found the first book and read it in a few days and loved it! Then I got the rest of them and by now I read them about 3 or 4 times at least. I love them and I will never sell or trash them. Great job Hickman ;).

I also found this website while I was looking for new books to buy and I wondered if Tracy Hickman has any other books and I just found out he has many other series ! Lol.

This is by far my favorite book series. A friend introduced me to the first book and I devoured it. I quickly found books 2, 3 and 4, but was sorely disappointed when I had to wait for the last 3. I put on my patient hat and waited. I got so excited about the last 3, that i bought them all in hardcover (which I NEVER do) and again, devoured each when they came out.

The whole series was wonderfully crafted: The characters, the story, the world(s).

If you haven’t read this series, get off your but and read it. You won’t be disappointed.